This invention relates to a connector which is for use in connecting a cable with another cable or an electrical or electronic apparatus and is connected to a mating connector in a predetermined direction which will be called hereafter a first direction.
A cable of a shield type is known and will be called hereafter a shielded cable. In connection of the shielded cable, it is preferable to use a connector of a shield type which will be called hereinafter a shielded connector.
In the manner which will presently be described, a conventional shielded connector comprises an insulator, a plurality of contact members, and a shell. The contact members have conductivity and are held to the insulator to be arranged in a second direction or a width direction perpendicular to the first direction. The shell is made of a metal plate and held to the insulator to electro-magnetically shield the contact members.
Furthermore, the conventional shielded connector is provided with a locking structure which is for being mechanically coupled or locked to the mating connector in the first direction when the shielded connector is connected to the mating connector. In the manner Which will later be described in detail in conjunction with the drawing, the locking structure is broadly divided into a first and a second type. In the first type, the locking structure is formed as a separate body separate from a shell. In the second type, the locking structure is formed as an integral body integral with the shell.
In the locking structure of the first type, the number of parts is increased because the shell and the locking structure are separate components. Furthermore, it is necessary to carry out a particular process of assembling the locking structure.
In the locking structure of the second type, no such process of assembling the locking structure is required. However, the size of the shielded connector increases in the second direction. This is because the locking structure of the second type has two movable members which are moved in the second direction at a time when connection or disconnection is carried out between the connectors.